CopyTrans features include: Copy songs, videos, movies, TV shows, audiobooks and podcasts to computer. Repopulate iTunes library with all tracks and personal settings. Import artworks, ratings, play counts, date last played, podcast subscriptions to iTunes. Import iPod playlists directly to iTunes. Songs order in playlists is preserved. Transfer iPod tracks to the right iTunes categories. Organize songs into folders and sub-folders based on any data such as Title, Artist, Album. Rename song file names using extensive options. Compatible with all iPod models, iPod Touch, iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS included. Version 3.28 adds iTunes 9.0 and iPhone/iPod Touch OS 3.1 support.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.28 adds iTunes 9.0 and iPhone/iPod Touch OS 3.1 support.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (250-tracks transfer); $19.99
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7
Download
Saturday, 19 September 2009
AVCWare Video Converter 2.0.1.0821
With the easy-to-use interface and powerful conversion engine, AVCWare Video Converter is an ideal video converter to both beginners and professionals alike. It helps you to convert all popular video formats like AVI, MPEG, WMV, DivX, MP4, H.264/AVC, MKV, RM, MOV, XviD, 3GP, etc. You can also extract audio files from video and convert between MP3, WMA, WAV, RA, M4A, AAC, AC3 audio files.
With just a few clicks, you will enjoy high-quality video clips on PC and all portable media players like iPod, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Apple TV, PSP, PS3, Xbox, Wii, BlackBerry, Archos, Creative Zen, iRiver, Pocket PC, PDA. The AVCWare Video Converter also provides video editing functions like cropping, trimming, and video effect adjustments. Try to use AVCWare Video Converter and be your own director. Version 2.0.1.0821 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
What's new in this version:
Version 2.0.1.0821 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (30-day trial); $34.95
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7
Download
With just a few clicks, you will enjoy high-quality video clips on PC and all portable media players like iPod, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Apple TV, PSP, PS3, Xbox, Wii, BlackBerry, Archos, Creative Zen, iRiver, Pocket PC, PDA. The AVCWare Video Converter also provides video editing functions like cropping, trimming, and video effect adjustments. Try to use AVCWare Video Converter and be your own director. Version 2.0.1.0821 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
What's new in this version:
Version 2.0.1.0821 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (30-day trial); $34.95
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 7
Download
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Foxit Reader 3.1.1.0901
To put it gently, Adobe Reader is a real pain in the hindquarters. It's monstrously large, slow to load, and includes many features most users will hardly ever need. Foxit PDF Reader 3.0 kills the bloat and throws in some useful features, such as multimedia support and content-sharing options, while still allowing you to quickly access your PDFs.
The interface mimics Adobe's, so you won't have to change your reading habits. In our test, the text readability was similar. The small program starts surprisingly fast compared with Adobe. You might need to fiddle a bit to get it to work with your Internet browser, but you can find help on Foxit's support forums. It's a nice touch that it opens PDFs from the Internet in their own Foxit window, instead of sucking resources from within the browser.
Foxit's biggest flaw in the old version was hogging memory and that has been corrected. Recent updates include fixing the hyperlink problem, multimedia support, printing highlighted-only sections, and tabbed PDF browsing, so you can read multiple PDFs simultaneously and with ease. Overall, unless you're tied to Adobe we strongly recommend this freeware competitor.
Foxit Reader is a free PDF document viewer, with incredible small size, breezing-fast launch speed and rich feature set. Its core function is compatible with PDF Standard 1.7. In the past, you've had to download a huge PDF reader from another software company, go through a lengthy installation process and wait for an annoying splash window to disappear just to open a PDF document.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.1.1.0901 fixes the reported issue of Foxit Reader 3.1.0.824 crashing when users are viewing certain PDF files.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
The interface mimics Adobe's, so you won't have to change your reading habits. In our test, the text readability was similar. The small program starts surprisingly fast compared with Adobe. You might need to fiddle a bit to get it to work with your Internet browser, but you can find help on Foxit's support forums. It's a nice touch that it opens PDFs from the Internet in their own Foxit window, instead of sucking resources from within the browser.
Foxit's biggest flaw in the old version was hogging memory and that has been corrected. Recent updates include fixing the hyperlink problem, multimedia support, printing highlighted-only sections, and tabbed PDF browsing, so you can read multiple PDFs simultaneously and with ease. Overall, unless you're tied to Adobe we strongly recommend this freeware competitor.
Foxit Reader is a free PDF document viewer, with incredible small size, breezing-fast launch speed and rich feature set. Its core function is compatible with PDF Standard 1.7. In the past, you've had to download a huge PDF reader from another software company, go through a lengthy installation process and wait for an annoying splash window to disappear just to open a PDF document.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.1.1.0901 fixes the reported issue of Foxit Reader 3.1.0.824 crashing when users are viewing certain PDF files.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
IrfanView 4.25
This image viewer and editor is a longtime favorite among our staff, and with good reason. IrfanView is simple, fast, and free for individual use. Upon installation, the app attempts to install two Google programs, but you can opt out.
The program lets you open and edit images, as well as multiple media formats. You can cut and crop images, apply batch conversions, add, sharpen, or blur effects, create panoramas, and change color modes easily. The program continues to add support for an array of file formats and has plug-in support for most image, video, and sound formats, including MP3, AVI, audio CD, and WMA. The interface is far from fancy but should be easy enough for most users to figure out. An IrfanView Thumbnails shortcut on the desktop offers an Explorer-like file tree that quickly displays all images in a particular folder. The latest version includes a basic drawing palette made accessible by hitting F12. It contains simple Erase, Draw, Fill, Rotate, Draw an Arrow, and Color Picker commands, perfect for grabbing screenshots and highlighting image specifics.
IrfanView does what it does well. It's not going to replace a major paint program, but why use a meat cleaver to cut a stick of butter?
IrfanView is a fast and compact image viewer/converter. It is trying to be simple for beginners and powerful for professionals. Many supported file formats and features. Features include: multi-language support, Thumbnail option, Painting, slideshow, toolbar skins, fast directory browsing, batch conversion/editing, multipage editing, file search, change color depth, scanning, cut/crop, IPTC edit, capturing, lossless JPG operations, effects, ICC support, EXE/SCR creating, many hotkeys, command line options and plugins.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.25 adds OCR feature, improved color management, support for new picture formats, region capture option, and new command-line options. see all new features
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows Server 2008, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 98
Download
The program lets you open and edit images, as well as multiple media formats. You can cut and crop images, apply batch conversions, add, sharpen, or blur effects, create panoramas, and change color modes easily. The program continues to add support for an array of file formats and has plug-in support for most image, video, and sound formats, including MP3, AVI, audio CD, and WMA. The interface is far from fancy but should be easy enough for most users to figure out. An IrfanView Thumbnails shortcut on the desktop offers an Explorer-like file tree that quickly displays all images in a particular folder. The latest version includes a basic drawing palette made accessible by hitting F12. It contains simple Erase, Draw, Fill, Rotate, Draw an Arrow, and Color Picker commands, perfect for grabbing screenshots and highlighting image specifics.
IrfanView does what it does well. It's not going to replace a major paint program, but why use a meat cleaver to cut a stick of butter?
IrfanView is a fast and compact image viewer/converter. It is trying to be simple for beginners and powerful for professionals. Many supported file formats and features. Features include: multi-language support, Thumbnail option, Painting, slideshow, toolbar skins, fast directory browsing, batch conversion/editing, multipage editing, file search, change color depth, scanning, cut/crop, IPTC edit, capturing, lossless JPG operations, effects, ICC support, EXE/SCR creating, many hotkeys, command line options and plugins.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.25 adds OCR feature, improved color management, support for new picture formats, region capture option, and new command-line options. see all new features
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows Server 2008, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 98
Download
Virtual DJ 6.0.1
With effects, samples, and transitions that rival vinyl turntablisms, Virtual DJ lets anyone produce polished MP3 mixes.
At the top of the graphically-intense interface, song-structure visualizations show the beats as the music plays. Two simulated turntables play the currently- loaded tracks. Windows below the turntables show samples, effects, music search, recording, program options, and an Explorer-style interface for loading music. You'll need to download an MP3 encoder if you don't want to record files in WAV format.
Virtual DJ not only can create audio collages, but it now also can make montages of video clips. The stylish interface and high number of features score points, but learning how to use the program is a hit-or-miss proposition. Fortunately, the program offers a thorough user guide. Virtual DJ is well worth a look both for aspiring mixers and newbies.
VirtualDJ is the DJ software chosen by DJ brands such as Numark, Denon and Hercules. It is used around the world by bedroom DJs and professional superstars alike. With its cutting-edge beatlock engine, your songs will always stay on the beat, and you can work your mixes incredibly faster than any other DJ. The automatic seamless loop engine and synchronized sampler will let you perform astounding remixes on the fly. The video engine lets you mix and scratch music videos as easily as audio. With NetSearch and MusicGroups, you will stay on the edge of the musical trends. And with the versatile VDJScript language and hundreds of available skins, you can tailor your software to your exact needs.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (20-day trial); $299.00
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 98
Download
At the top of the graphically-intense interface, song-structure visualizations show the beats as the music plays. Two simulated turntables play the currently- loaded tracks. Windows below the turntables show samples, effects, music search, recording, program options, and an Explorer-style interface for loading music. You'll need to download an MP3 encoder if you don't want to record files in WAV format.
Virtual DJ not only can create audio collages, but it now also can make montages of video clips. The stylish interface and high number of features score points, but learning how to use the program is a hit-or-miss proposition. Fortunately, the program offers a thorough user guide. Virtual DJ is well worth a look both for aspiring mixers and newbies.
VirtualDJ is the DJ software chosen by DJ brands such as Numark, Denon and Hercules. It is used around the world by bedroom DJs and professional superstars alike. With its cutting-edge beatlock engine, your songs will always stay on the beat, and you can work your mixes incredibly faster than any other DJ. The automatic seamless loop engine and synchronized sampler will let you perform astounding remixes on the fly. The video engine lets you mix and scratch music videos as easily as audio. With NetSearch and MusicGroups, you will stay on the edge of the musical trends. And with the versatile VDJScript language and hundreds of available skins, you can tailor your software to your exact needs.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (20-day trial); $299.00
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 98
Download
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
VersionTracker Pro 4.1
VersionTracker Pro monitors the version status of installed drivers and 3rd-party applications on your Windows systems and then shows you when new updates are available.
VersionTracker Pro also provides you with a detailed description about each update to help you make informed decisions and will download and automatically install the updates you choose to apply.
Feature Summary:
Installed software & driver tracking - lists of your installed software and drivers that automatically refresh when you install a new program, device, update, or upgrade.
Feedback Alerts - VersionTracker Pro will alert you when feedback is posted on any application you are interested in following, whether you have them installed or not.
Search - a comprehensive database of over 198,000 drivers & applications.
Download History - a record of the driver and application updates you've downloaded and installed.
Preview Pane - provides product details including "what's new" in the latest version.
Skip Version - skip an update and still be notified about the next release.
Download Manager - queues multiple downloads for optimum speed and provides automatic retries.
New Uninstall feature for your Software - From within the VersionTracker Pro application you can uninstall any application that is in the operating system Control Panel's "Add or Remove Programs" section (Windows XP and Windows 2000) or "Uninstall or change a program" section (Windows Vista).
For more information go to: http://www.versiontracker.com/subscribe
What's new in this version:
improvements to free trial scan so users have to ability to click through the interface and view information on individual software and drivers that are out of date
improved matching with Dell configurations - it more accurately identifies Dell hardware specifications to refine scan results
fixed a bug that would cause version 4.0 to crash when applications containing Unicode characters were scanned
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try; annual subscription (1 free scan; purchase required to install updates); $29.95
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
VersionTracker Pro also provides you with a detailed description about each update to help you make informed decisions and will download and automatically install the updates you choose to apply.
Feature Summary:
Installed software & driver tracking - lists of your installed software and drivers that automatically refresh when you install a new program, device, update, or upgrade.
Feedback Alerts - VersionTracker Pro will alert you when feedback is posted on any application you are interested in following, whether you have them installed or not.
Search - a comprehensive database of over 198,000 drivers & applications.
Download History - a record of the driver and application updates you've downloaded and installed.
Preview Pane - provides product details including "what's new" in the latest version.
Skip Version - skip an update and still be notified about the next release.
Download Manager - queues multiple downloads for optimum speed and provides automatic retries.
New Uninstall feature for your Software - From within the VersionTracker Pro application you can uninstall any application that is in the operating system Control Panel's "Add or Remove Programs" section (Windows XP and Windows 2000) or "Uninstall or change a program" section (Windows Vista).
For more information go to: http://www.versiontracker.com/subscribe
What's new in this version:
improvements to free trial scan so users have to ability to click through the interface and view information on individual software and drivers that are out of date
improved matching with Dell configurations - it more accurately identifies Dell hardware specifications to refine scan results
fixed a bug that would cause version 4.0 to crash when applications containing Unicode characters were scanned
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try; annual subscription (1 free scan; purchase required to install updates); $29.95
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
Free YouTube to MP3 Converter 3.2.1.61
The minor quibbles we have with Free YouTube to MP3 Converter have nothing to do with its functionality. This effective freeware is ready to go right out of the box, but can be easily customized by the user.
No effort has been made to dress up the program's utilitarian interface, which consists of seven large buttons, a few fields, and a drop-down menu. A plain text box advises users to paste URLs in the field, and this is all the onscreen guidance you'll need. Once you see the video title in the field, you click Download and the program goes to work. The process wasn't lightening quick, but considering the size of some of our test files, it wasn't bad. Converted files played without a hitch.
The beauty of this converter lies in its simple set up. By default, converted files are saved into the program's folder in My Documents, and they retain the name of the source video. The files are saved as MP3s, normal quality. These settings are easily changed, though, with quick-access buttons and a drop-down menu. The most work a user might have to do is fill out the fields in the optional Tags fields for artist, title, track, and other information.
Sadly, the program doesn't integrate with your browser, but you can opt to have it automatically pick up URLs from the clipboard, which eliminates one step from the cutting and pasting process. It also installs the Ask.com Toolbar and resets your home page to the Ask.com Web site by default, so if you don't want these extras, you'll have to uncheck some boxes during the installation process. These inconveniences are offset by the fact that this program is not only effective, it also costs nothing to use. We highly recommend Free YouTube to MP3 Converter for any user.
Free YouTube to MP3 Converter. Extract and download music from YouTube movies and save it as MP3 files on your PC with one mouse click. Download both single videos and complete playlists and user's channels.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.2.1.61 corrects the Genre MP3 tag support, fixes problems when downloading YouTube video with the '&' symbol in the title.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP
Download
No effort has been made to dress up the program's utilitarian interface, which consists of seven large buttons, a few fields, and a drop-down menu. A plain text box advises users to paste URLs in the field, and this is all the onscreen guidance you'll need. Once you see the video title in the field, you click Download and the program goes to work. The process wasn't lightening quick, but considering the size of some of our test files, it wasn't bad. Converted files played without a hitch.
The beauty of this converter lies in its simple set up. By default, converted files are saved into the program's folder in My Documents, and they retain the name of the source video. The files are saved as MP3s, normal quality. These settings are easily changed, though, with quick-access buttons and a drop-down menu. The most work a user might have to do is fill out the fields in the optional Tags fields for artist, title, track, and other information.
Sadly, the program doesn't integrate with your browser, but you can opt to have it automatically pick up URLs from the clipboard, which eliminates one step from the cutting and pasting process. It also installs the Ask.com Toolbar and resets your home page to the Ask.com Web site by default, so if you don't want these extras, you'll have to uncheck some boxes during the installation process. These inconveniences are offset by the fact that this program is not only effective, it also costs nothing to use. We highly recommend Free YouTube to MP3 Converter for any user.
Free YouTube to MP3 Converter. Extract and download music from YouTube movies and save it as MP3 files on your PC with one mouse click. Download both single videos and complete playlists and user's channels.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.2.1.61 corrects the Genre MP3 tag support, fixes problems when downloading YouTube video with the '&' symbol in the title.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP
Download
PhotoScape 3.4
Add another name to the roster of feature-rich freeware image editors: PhotoScape. Although it eats and leaks about as much memory as Firefox, this editor is perfect for those making the jump between JPEG and am-pro dSLR work.
It supports RAW, as well as all other major image formats from JPEG and PNG to animated GIFs. It comes with prebuilt templates for users to create photo collages, fumetti, and Web comics, and has a standard set of red-eye removal, light/shadow, and contrast-editing features. One warning about the RAW processing: although it looks like you can drag and drop, the converter doesn't change RAW to JPEG unless you load the RAW file from within the native file navigator. It's a minor bug, but one that can lead you to believe that there's no RAW support at all. You can also batch edit images, combine them, and print them out one at a time or several at once.
The program loads fast and possesses an interface completely different from those familiar with Adobe's industry-leading tools. Users are greeted by circular navigator complemented by a tabbed nav on the top of the main screen. Most but not all main features are accessible from either nav. It might take some people time to get used to the unusual layout, but it's only unusual for an image editor; otherwise it's intuitive, fast, and lacks only the most advanced of image editing features.
PhotoScape is an all-in-one style photo editor with fun and ease of use. Major capabilities are: viewer, editor, batch editor, page, combine, animated GIF, print, splitter, screen capture, color picker, rename, raw converter, resizing, brightness/color/white-balance adjustment, backlight correction, frames, balloons, text, drawing pictures, cropping, filters, red eye removal and blooming. PhotoScape has been used for two years and is expanding its features continuously.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.4 supports 27 languages: English, Korean, Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Dutch, Spanish(Spain), Spanish(Mexico,latain-america), French, Japanese, Russian, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, Portuguese(Brazil), Thai, Hungarian, Turkish, Catalan, Slovak, Czech, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Swedish, Estonian, Danish, and Romanian.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 98
Download
It supports RAW, as well as all other major image formats from JPEG and PNG to animated GIFs. It comes with prebuilt templates for users to create photo collages, fumetti, and Web comics, and has a standard set of red-eye removal, light/shadow, and contrast-editing features. One warning about the RAW processing: although it looks like you can drag and drop, the converter doesn't change RAW to JPEG unless you load the RAW file from within the native file navigator. It's a minor bug, but one that can lead you to believe that there's no RAW support at all. You can also batch edit images, combine them, and print them out one at a time or several at once.
The program loads fast and possesses an interface completely different from those familiar with Adobe's industry-leading tools. Users are greeted by circular navigator complemented by a tabbed nav on the top of the main screen. Most but not all main features are accessible from either nav. It might take some people time to get used to the unusual layout, but it's only unusual for an image editor; otherwise it's intuitive, fast, and lacks only the most advanced of image editing features.
PhotoScape is an all-in-one style photo editor with fun and ease of use. Major capabilities are: viewer, editor, batch editor, page, combine, animated GIF, print, splitter, screen capture, color picker, rename, raw converter, resizing, brightness/color/white-balance adjustment, backlight correction, frames, balloons, text, drawing pictures, cropping, filters, red eye removal and blooming. PhotoScape has been used for two years and is expanding its features continuously.
What's new in this version:
Version 3.4 supports 27 languages: English, Korean, Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Dutch, Spanish(Spain), Spanish(Mexico,latain-america), French, Japanese, Russian, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, Portuguese(Brazil), Thai, Hungarian, Turkish, Catalan, Slovak, Czech, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Swedish, Estonian, Danish, and Romanian.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 98
Download
Vuze 4.2.0.8
Formerly the feature-rich Azureus, Vuze takes Azureus' BitTorrent foundation and builds on top of it a network for video discovery and user-created video publishing tied together by social networking.
From XML torrent options to IP filters, firewall tests to UPnP plug-ins to baked-in social networking, Vuze isn't breaking new ground--the original BitTorrent client has gone this path, too--but it is doing it in an innovative and attractive way. When you install the program, you're faced with an interface that will be instantly familiar to iTunes users. In providing a general overview of their torrents and media playback controls, the new layout emphasizes user-initiated searches.
The Advanced tab has been replaced by My Library. The old Azureus is now completely gone, but because of the demands of users, Vuze 4.0 is much closer to the intent of its progenitor than Vuze 3.1 was. A simple, three-step guide that launches when you start Vuze helps you get acclimatized to the new Vuze. There's still work to be done: memory usage is up around 100MB, and although you can set up private trackers, you can't customize the search box. People new to torrenting or only interested in sharing media files might appreciate this visually active approach.
Vuze is the most powerful bittorrent software application to Find, Download, and Play HD video content on the Web. With the latest release, you can now play your HD videos on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, and Tivo. Our award-winning P2P bittorrent technology enables users to quickly and easily download HD video with a single click.
What's new in this version:
Device support for PSP and Tivo (adding to support for iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, Xbox 360, and PS3)
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
Download
From XML torrent options to IP filters, firewall tests to UPnP plug-ins to baked-in social networking, Vuze isn't breaking new ground--the original BitTorrent client has gone this path, too--but it is doing it in an innovative and attractive way. When you install the program, you're faced with an interface that will be instantly familiar to iTunes users. In providing a general overview of their torrents and media playback controls, the new layout emphasizes user-initiated searches.
The Advanced tab has been replaced by My Library. The old Azureus is now completely gone, but because of the demands of users, Vuze 4.0 is much closer to the intent of its progenitor than Vuze 3.1 was. A simple, three-step guide that launches when you start Vuze helps you get acclimatized to the new Vuze. There's still work to be done: memory usage is up around 100MB, and although you can set up private trackers, you can't customize the search box. People new to torrenting or only interested in sharing media files might appreciate this visually active approach.
Vuze is the most powerful bittorrent software application to Find, Download, and Play HD video content on the Web. With the latest release, you can now play your HD videos on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, and Tivo. Our award-winning P2P bittorrent technology enables users to quickly and easily download HD video with a single click.
What's new in this version:
Device support for PSP and Tivo (adding to support for iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, Xbox 360, and PS3)
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
Download
Camfrog Video Chat 5.3.215
If you're sick of hopping from one chatware program to another, looking for the perfect mix of video, audio, and text socializing, CamFrog might be what you're looking for.
The chat rooms feature everything from music lessons to sign language to non-English chatting, and integrating video, audio, and text components are a great leap forward for chat communities since a Webcam is not a requirement. Be warned, though: There's also a slew of X-rated chat rooms--this is not a program that kids should use without supervision.
The interface should be familiar to anyone who has used any messaging software. You can create your own chat room and password-protect it, and the Contacts list has a section for favorite rooms and one-click contact adding, user searching, and profile management. New in Version 5 is high-resolution video support, interface tweaks, and the ability to send little "virtual gifts" to both friends and anonymous recipients that borders on the annoying.
Cautious users should note that the install includes several toolbars and a Weather Channel widget, which you can opt out of. Despite those drawbacks, if you're looking for a well-trafficked video chat program that serves a diverse community, CamFrog is cool place to land.
Camfrog Video Chat allows you to join real streaming video chat rooms where you can hear, see, and chat with many people at a time. Instant message a user to get to know them before you Webcam chat, and add them to your contact list. This videoconferencing software also works behind most firewalls and routers. Camfrog Video Chat allows multi-user videoconferencing where you can join a room with up to 1000 users and just click a user name to begin seeing someone. Press the 'talk' button to talk to the entire room with audio. The video chat rooms are hosted by broadband users who are running the Camfrog Video Chat Room Server software so any user can set up their own multi-user video conference for other users to join. No Webcam is required to see people, but some rooms might not allow users without Webcams. Camfrog Video Chat is optimized for broadband users so it has fast video.
Version 5.3.215 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
What's new in this version:
Typing @nickname links to the Camfrog user profile.
Longer custom status messages.
Bug fixes to prepare for new server version.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7
Download
The chat rooms feature everything from music lessons to sign language to non-English chatting, and integrating video, audio, and text components are a great leap forward for chat communities since a Webcam is not a requirement. Be warned, though: There's also a slew of X-rated chat rooms--this is not a program that kids should use without supervision.
The interface should be familiar to anyone who has used any messaging software. You can create your own chat room and password-protect it, and the Contacts list has a section for favorite rooms and one-click contact adding, user searching, and profile management. New in Version 5 is high-resolution video support, interface tweaks, and the ability to send little "virtual gifts" to both friends and anonymous recipients that borders on the annoying.
Cautious users should note that the install includes several toolbars and a Weather Channel widget, which you can opt out of. Despite those drawbacks, if you're looking for a well-trafficked video chat program that serves a diverse community, CamFrog is cool place to land.
Camfrog Video Chat allows you to join real streaming video chat rooms where you can hear, see, and chat with many people at a time. Instant message a user to get to know them before you Webcam chat, and add them to your contact list. This videoconferencing software also works behind most firewalls and routers. Camfrog Video Chat allows multi-user videoconferencing where you can join a room with up to 1000 users and just click a user name to begin seeing someone. Press the 'talk' button to talk to the entire room with audio. The video chat rooms are hosted by broadband users who are running the Camfrog Video Chat Room Server software so any user can set up their own multi-user video conference for other users to join. No Webcam is required to see people, but some rooms might not allow users without Webcams. Camfrog Video Chat is optimized for broadband users so it has fast video.
Version 5.3.215 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.
What's new in this version:
Typing @nickname links to the Camfrog user profile.
Longer custom status messages.
Bug fixes to prepare for new server version.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7
Download
Muziic 2.0
Muziic Player gives you the ability to play millions of songs and music videos on-demand, tune in to hundreds of radio stations--100% free and legally. Simply type the name of the song or artist you wish to hear into the player's search bar, and Muziic will search and retrieve results from the world's largest music database--YouTube. Browse and listen to tracks and add them to your playlist.
Muziic also allows you to select MP3s and other media files from your computer, browse user-created playlists and albums, or tune in to hundreds of internet radio stations. Easily build playlists comprised of YouTube videos, your local media files, and content from other cloud-based service providers. You may organize and save unlimited playlists for future use.
What's new in this version:
New Player Layout
35 Free MP3 Download Offer
Internet Radio, tune in to hundreds of stations
"Playlists" section containing thousands of albums and compilations
"Channels" section containing directory of user accounts
Playback of MP3s and local media, the ability to create playlists mixing YouTube videos with local media
Shuffle playback feature
Integrated "Skins" browser / section
Integrated online store allows for purc...
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP
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Muziic also allows you to select MP3s and other media files from your computer, browse user-created playlists and albums, or tune in to hundreds of internet radio stations. Easily build playlists comprised of YouTube videos, your local media files, and content from other cloud-based service providers. You may organize and save unlimited playlists for future use.
What's new in this version:
New Player Layout
35 Free MP3 Download Offer
Internet Radio, tune in to hundreds of stations
"Playlists" section containing thousands of albums and compilations
"Channels" section containing directory of user accounts
Playback of MP3s and local media, the ability to create playlists mixing YouTube videos with local media
Shuffle playback feature
Integrated "Skins" browser / section
Integrated online store allows for purc...
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP
Download
IObit Security 360 1.0
IObit Security 360 is an advanced malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes the deepest infections, and protects your PC from various of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, bots, worms, and hijackers. With the unique "Dual-Core" engine and the heuristic malware detection, IObit Security 360 detects the most complex and deepest spyware and malware in a very fast and efficient way. IObit Security 360 has a real-time malware protection and frequent automatic updating for prevention of zero-day security threats. IObit Security 360 can work with your Antivirus for a superior PC security.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows NT
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Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows NT
Download
Orbit Downloader 2.8.16
Downloading videos, Flash games, and large batches of files is greatly simplified with this freeware download manager, but Firefox users may have difficulty with integration.
Orbit's primary interface is bland, but the basic toolbar and info boxes guarantee everything is easy to find. Orbit shines with Internet Explorer integration. To get a media file, simply right-click a video or photo and choose Download from your context menu. Grabbing a Flash game is even easier. Hover over a Flash file, and Orbit displays a button for a fast download.
Fast and small are key traits of this application. It uses a bare minimum of memory, and downloads are much faster than with a browser alone. Where Orbit shines is its one-button simplicity for downloading multiple files on a site. From there, you can easily filter for file type. Orbit's numerous configuration options make it one of the more flexible download managers available.
Although designed to integrate with the IE, Firefox, Opera and Maxthon, we had great difficulty getting Orbit to work seamlessly with Firefox. We finally gave up trying to get the Flash download feature to work. Nevertheless, anyone downloading large numbers of files will find this freeware indispensable.
Orbit Downloader, leader of download manager revolution, is devoted to new generation Web application downloading to make downloads more easier and faster. It is a free all-in-one downloader which can download any social media.
What's new in this version:
Version 2.8.16 add "Getit" support to Firefox
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7
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Orbit's primary interface is bland, but the basic toolbar and info boxes guarantee everything is easy to find. Orbit shines with Internet Explorer integration. To get a media file, simply right-click a video or photo and choose Download from your context menu. Grabbing a Flash game is even easier. Hover over a Flash file, and Orbit displays a button for a fast download.
Fast and small are key traits of this application. It uses a bare minimum of memory, and downloads are much faster than with a browser alone. Where Orbit shines is its one-button simplicity for downloading multiple files on a site. From there, you can easily filter for file type. Orbit's numerous configuration options make it one of the more flexible download managers available.
Although designed to integrate with the IE, Firefox, Opera and Maxthon, we had great difficulty getting Orbit to work seamlessly with Firefox. We finally gave up trying to get the Flash download feature to work. Nevertheless, anyone downloading large numbers of files will find this freeware indispensable.
Orbit Downloader, leader of download manager revolution, is devoted to new generation Web application downloading to make downloads more easier and faster. It is a free all-in-one downloader which can download any social media.
What's new in this version:
Version 2.8.16 add "Getit" support to Firefox
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7
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FreeZ Online TV 1.20
While we love the idea of free TV (who doesn't?), it never seems to be quite what we hoped. FreeZ Online TV is no exception. The channel selection is unimpressive and user guidance is nonexistent.
The most confusing things about the program are the links that appear on the initial screen when the program is opened. We mistakenly believed they might provide more guidance for the program but instead directed us to two different sites promising free online TV. Both require additional downloads, and weren't related to FreeZ Online TV.
That said, once we explored those two false leads, the program itself proved fairly easy to operate, although disappointing in its outcomes. A standard viewing screen sits next to a file tree with 16 main categories, including News, Entertainment, and Weather. Within each category are at least a half dozen channel choices, but many are not in English. Simply click one and it begins playing. The typical media controls to stop, start, pause, etc., become visible at the bottom of the screen as the content buffers. What you won't find are any guides to the channels, which seem randomly selected from various countries around the world. All you get are the call letters (like WSTV) or largely unrecognizable names like NOS Journaal. We also found that many of the listed channels didn't play at all. There are no user settings, so you can't delete or add your own channels, and no Help file or other user guidance is available.
During installation, a box is pre-checked that will add the FreeZ Online TV Toolbar, so be sure to uncheck this if you don't want this little extra. Or, better yet, skip the download altogether and avoid not only the toolbar but this unimpressive program as well.
FreeZ Online TV program that can receive over 500+ free online channels of daily and live broadcasts from around the world. There is no need for a PC TV card because the TV channels are streamed through your Internet connection. It allows watcher to watch directly into TV. You can watch in regular or full-screen mode. This software comes with automatic TV station updates so it will never be out of date. Download now and get access to live TV and watch TV online anywhere, anytime all from the comfort of your PC.
What's new in this version:
Update new channel.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
Download
The most confusing things about the program are the links that appear on the initial screen when the program is opened. We mistakenly believed they might provide more guidance for the program but instead directed us to two different sites promising free online TV. Both require additional downloads, and weren't related to FreeZ Online TV.
That said, once we explored those two false leads, the program itself proved fairly easy to operate, although disappointing in its outcomes. A standard viewing screen sits next to a file tree with 16 main categories, including News, Entertainment, and Weather. Within each category are at least a half dozen channel choices, but many are not in English. Simply click one and it begins playing. The typical media controls to stop, start, pause, etc., become visible at the bottom of the screen as the content buffers. What you won't find are any guides to the channels, which seem randomly selected from various countries around the world. All you get are the call letters (like WSTV) or largely unrecognizable names like NOS Journaal. We also found that many of the listed channels didn't play at all. There are no user settings, so you can't delete or add your own channels, and no Help file or other user guidance is available.
During installation, a box is pre-checked that will add the FreeZ Online TV Toolbar, so be sure to uncheck this if you don't want this little extra. Or, better yet, skip the download altogether and avoid not only the toolbar but this unimpressive program as well.
FreeZ Online TV program that can receive over 500+ free online channels of daily and live broadcasts from around the world. There is no need for a PC TV card because the TV channels are streamed through your Internet connection. It allows watcher to watch directly into TV. You can watch in regular or full-screen mode. This software comes with automatic TV station updates so it will never be out of date. Download now and get access to live TV and watch TV online anywhere, anytime all from the comfort of your PC.
What's new in this version:
Update new channel.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
Download
WinRAR (32-bit) 3.90
There are plenty of solid compression utilities to choose from, but this shareware powerhouse offers the features and ease of use that place it at the top of the compression category. WinRAR is easy to use, lightweight, and flexible.
An intuitive interface lets you mouse over icons to see their functions, and if you don't like their candy-coated appearance, you can always choose from several themes at the developer's site. The Folder Tree Panel makes sifting through your directories to find files easier than ever. But once you see the size savings of a RAR archive, with a compression ratio of 8 percent to 15 percent better than the ZIP format, you'll understand why so many users and developers are making the switch from other apps. With virus scans now integrated and minor interface tweaks for Vista, only the slightly slower decompression speed holds the app back.
Beyond its good looks and right-click readiness for basic compression and unzipping, WinRAR offers unpacking support for a large number of archive formats, including TAR, ACE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, and ZIP. WinRAR's advanced features are icing on the cake, with Unicode support for international formatting, embedded file comments, damaged archive repair, archive locking, self-extracting archives, and easy encryption. There's also the option to automatically delete temporary files and just-archived files. Anyone seeking an all-in-one archiving solution would be remiss to not check out WinRAR.
WinRAR is a 32-bit / 64-bit Windows version of RAR Archiver, the powerful archiver and archive manager. WinRAR's main features are very strong general and multimedia compression, solid compression, archive protection from damage, processing of ZIP and other non-RAR archives, scanning archives for viruses, programmable self-extracting archives(SFX), authenticity verification, NTFS and Unicode support, strong AES encryption, support of multivolume archives, command line and graphical interface, drag-and-drop facility, wizard interface, theme support, folder tree panel, multithread support and Windows x64 shell integration. WinRAR provides complete support for RAR and ZIP archives and is able to unpack and convert CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZ, ACE, UUE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, Z, 7-Zip archives. WinRAR is available in over 40 languages.
What's new in this version:
WinRAR version for Windows x64 is available. If you use Windows x64, it is strongly recommended to install 64 bit WinRAR version. It provides a higher performance and better shell integration than 32-bit version.
RAR compression speed is improved for multi-core and multi-CPU systems. This improvement is most noticeable in Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems.
"Remove duplicate folders from extraction path" option in "Settings/Compression" di...
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (40-day trial); $29.00
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 98
Download
An intuitive interface lets you mouse over icons to see their functions, and if you don't like their candy-coated appearance, you can always choose from several themes at the developer's site. The Folder Tree Panel makes sifting through your directories to find files easier than ever. But once you see the size savings of a RAR archive, with a compression ratio of 8 percent to 15 percent better than the ZIP format, you'll understand why so many users and developers are making the switch from other apps. With virus scans now integrated and minor interface tweaks for Vista, only the slightly slower decompression speed holds the app back.
Beyond its good looks and right-click readiness for basic compression and unzipping, WinRAR offers unpacking support for a large number of archive formats, including TAR, ACE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, and ZIP. WinRAR's advanced features are icing on the cake, with Unicode support for international formatting, embedded file comments, damaged archive repair, archive locking, self-extracting archives, and easy encryption. There's also the option to automatically delete temporary files and just-archived files. Anyone seeking an all-in-one archiving solution would be remiss to not check out WinRAR.
WinRAR is a 32-bit / 64-bit Windows version of RAR Archiver, the powerful archiver and archive manager. WinRAR's main features are very strong general and multimedia compression, solid compression, archive protection from damage, processing of ZIP and other non-RAR archives, scanning archives for viruses, programmable self-extracting archives(SFX), authenticity verification, NTFS and Unicode support, strong AES encryption, support of multivolume archives, command line and graphical interface, drag-and-drop facility, wizard interface, theme support, folder tree panel, multithread support and Windows x64 shell integration. WinRAR provides complete support for RAR and ZIP archives and is able to unpack and convert CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZ, ACE, UUE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, Z, 7-Zip archives. WinRAR is available in over 40 languages.
What's new in this version:
WinRAR version for Windows x64 is available. If you use Windows x64, it is strongly recommended to install 64 bit WinRAR version. It provides a higher performance and better shell integration than 32-bit version.
RAR compression speed is improved for multi-core and multi-CPU systems. This improvement is most noticeable in Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems.
"Remove duplicate folders from extraction path" option in "Settings/Compression" di...
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try (40-day trial); $29.00
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 98
Download
Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition 8.0.7
One of the first applications built to find and remove adware and spyware, Ad-Aware's excellent reputation is well-justified. The Anniversary Edition continues the publisher's tradition of adroitly addressing user concerns, but is still not quite perfect.
Without a doubt, though, this version of Ad-Aware improves greatly on what has come before. It loads faster during your boot cycle. Scans take less time than before, too--the Quick Scan completed in less than 10 minutes. Although we did notice a major false positive crop up for another program's uninstaller, there were no other flaws in the scan. New users should notice that the app performs faster than integrated antivirus and antimalware programs, because only the paid version of Ad-Aware comes with an antivirus engine.
Some important features are disabled in the free version. While rootkit detection is present, heuristics and real-time registry protection are not. Ad-Aware Free cannot scan networked drives, and even a basic feature like the scheduler remains off-limits to nonpaying customers. The proprietary real-time defender Ad-Watch Live has been reconfigured to run more smoothly in the background, however, and long-time fans will notice the change.
Interface refinements make this the easiest-to-use Ad-Aware yet. Action button placement at the bottom of the pane might feel odd to those familiar with older versions, but the forced continuity between windows is a plus. Links to drill down to more information are easy to see, as is the Settings button. Overall, Ad-Aware continues to make improvements and seems to be unwilling to rest on its malware-removing laurels, but the free version is undeniably hamstrung.
With behavior-based threat detection and integrated real-time monitoring, Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition focuses on core consumer security needs. Instead of adding layers of bells and whistles--thereby slowing your computer and scans down--we have decided to focus on what really matters. Anniversary Edition provides advanced threat protection, and is significantly lighter and faster than our previous versions. Numerous changes in Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition include: Behavior-based heuristical detection; Ad-Watch Live! integrated real-time protection; Customizable Profile Scans and full integration with Windows Security Center.
What's new in this version:
Version 8.0.7 adds new adware definitions.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try; paid upgrade available $27.96
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
Without a doubt, though, this version of Ad-Aware improves greatly on what has come before. It loads faster during your boot cycle. Scans take less time than before, too--the Quick Scan completed in less than 10 minutes. Although we did notice a major false positive crop up for another program's uninstaller, there were no other flaws in the scan. New users should notice that the app performs faster than integrated antivirus and antimalware programs, because only the paid version of Ad-Aware comes with an antivirus engine.
Some important features are disabled in the free version. While rootkit detection is present, heuristics and real-time registry protection are not. Ad-Aware Free cannot scan networked drives, and even a basic feature like the scheduler remains off-limits to nonpaying customers. The proprietary real-time defender Ad-Watch Live has been reconfigured to run more smoothly in the background, however, and long-time fans will notice the change.
Interface refinements make this the easiest-to-use Ad-Aware yet. Action button placement at the bottom of the pane might feel odd to those familiar with older versions, but the forced continuity between windows is a plus. Links to drill down to more information are easy to see, as is the Settings button. Overall, Ad-Aware continues to make improvements and seems to be unwilling to rest on its malware-removing laurels, but the free version is undeniably hamstrung.
With behavior-based threat detection and integrated real-time monitoring, Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition focuses on core consumer security needs. Instead of adding layers of bells and whistles--thereby slowing your computer and scans down--we have decided to focus on what really matters. Anniversary Edition provides advanced threat protection, and is significantly lighter and faster than our previous versions. Numerous changes in Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition include: Behavior-based heuristical detection; Ad-Watch Live! integrated real-time protection; Customizable Profile Scans and full integration with Windows Security Center.
What's new in this version:
Version 8.0.7 adds new adware definitions.
Quick specs :
Price: Free to try; paid upgrade available $27.96
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
YouTube Downloader 2.5
This simple freeware application works pretty well, given how basic the interface is. It has two main features: to download FLV files from YouTube, and to convert them to most major formats. If there's a YouTube URL in your clipboard, it will automatically paste it for you when you click on the dialog box. From there, just hit OK and the downloading will commence. One more left-click is all it takes to load the file in the converter, which supports iPhone, iPod, PSP, cell phone, AVI, MP3, WMV, and Xvid. Surprisingly, there's also a basic video editor for cropping videos by time stamp. You can also cut out the sound when converting.
This is one of the lightest editors around, but the simplistic interface belies its functionality and it performs exactly as advertised. We'd like to see support in future editions for hunting down missing codecs, and version 2.1.5 and earlier won't work because of embed code changes on YouTube itself. Still, the YouTube Downloader is proof that not only is video-making accessible to everyone, so is video downloading and editing.
It's software that allows you to download videos from YouTube, including HD and HQ videos, and many others and convert them to other video formats. The program is easy to use, just specify the URL for the video you want to download and click the Ok! It also allows you to convert downloaded videos for iPod, iPhone, PSP, Cell Phone, Windows Media, XVid and MP3. Allows you to access YouTube videos for which you need to be 18+ years of age. Now, plays videos downloaded.
What's new in this version:
YouTube Downloader 2.5 fixes support for YouTube including HD and HQ downloads, and adds support for sites Vimeo, Funnyordie, Revver and more.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows XP
Download
This is one of the lightest editors around, but the simplistic interface belies its functionality and it performs exactly as advertised. We'd like to see support in future editions for hunting down missing codecs, and version 2.1.5 and earlier won't work because of embed code changes on YouTube itself. Still, the YouTube Downloader is proof that not only is video-making accessible to everyone, so is video downloading and editing.
It's software that allows you to download videos from YouTube, including HD and HQ videos, and many others and convert them to other video formats. The program is easy to use, just specify the URL for the video you want to download and click the Ok! It also allows you to convert downloaded videos for iPod, iPhone, PSP, Cell Phone, Windows Media, XVid and MP3. Allows you to access YouTube videos for which you need to be 18+ years of age. Now, plays videos downloaded.
What's new in this version:
YouTube Downloader 2.5 fixes support for YouTube including HD and HQ downloads, and adds support for sites Vimeo, Funnyordie, Revver and more.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows XP
Download
LimeWire 5.2.13
From its start as a post-Napster clone to its leading role as the quintessential Gnutella client, LimeWire is the highest-profile P2P application. Version 5 re-envisions LimeWire for a Web 2.0 world, with an emphasis on sharing with friends, square buttons with rounded corners, and overall a cleaner interface.
Two search bars and two sidebars cap off the redesign. The uppermost search bar is the global search that scans what everybody is sharing over the P2P network, while the secondary one on the right searches your library. The sidebars are set up in a similar way. Both are on the left, with the outer one offering three options: your library, the global P2P network, and your friends. Click on My Library and your inner sidebar shows your collection of music, movies, and documents. The P2P Network option shows what you're uploading and downloading, while the Friends option lets you share your library specifically with your Google/Jabber contacts, which you can import. Search results can be presented in both the new Web 2.0-style that surfaces just the most relevant information, with an Information button to dive deeper or the "classic" spreadsheet view.
The Advanced Tools feature is also new, which lets power users drill down and get highly specific information about who they're connected to, similar to what's available from torrent clients. This data includes IP addresses, bandwidth, the program being used and its version. The new features and overall functionality make this by far the most mature version of LimeWire to date. Despite the typical performance flaws found in all file-sharing clients, this latest version continues to offer solid performance and good looks across the board.
LimeWire is a P2P file-sharing application for all types of computer files, including music, video, pictures, games, and text documents. Other features include dynamic querying, file previews during download, advanced techniques for locating rare files, and an easy, clean user interface.
LimeWire's new spam blocker gets rid of junk results, and automatic updates will keep you sharing faster than ever with the latest version. You can search for Creative Commons and Weedshare licensed files, and publish your own creative works with Creative Commons licensing. LimeWire continues its guarantee of no adware or spyware. Includes built-in bittorent support.
What's new in this version:
Version 5.2.13 updates interface for smoother navigation and includes integration with Facebook. Faster bittorent downloads.
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
Download
Two search bars and two sidebars cap off the redesign. The uppermost search bar is the global search that scans what everybody is sharing over the P2P network, while the secondary one on the right searches your library. The sidebars are set up in a similar way. Both are on the left, with the outer one offering three options: your library, the global P2P network, and your friends. Click on My Library and your inner sidebar shows your collection of music, movies, and documents. The P2P Network option shows what you're uploading and downloading, while the Friends option lets you share your library specifically with your Google/Jabber contacts, which you can import. Search results can be presented in both the new Web 2.0-style that surfaces just the most relevant information, with an Information button to dive deeper or the "classic" spreadsheet view.
The Advanced Tools feature is also new, which lets power users drill down and get highly specific information about who they're connected to, similar to what's available from torrent clients. This data includes IP addresses, bandwidth, the program being used and its version. The new features and overall functionality make this by far the most mature version of LimeWire to date. Despite the typical performance flaws found in all file-sharing clients, this latest version continues to offer solid performance and good looks across the board.
LimeWire is a P2P file-sharing application for all types of computer files, including music, video, pictures, games, and text documents. Other features include dynamic querying, file previews during download, advanced techniques for locating rare files, and an easy, clean user interface.
LimeWire's new spam blocker gets rid of junk results, and automatic updates will keep you sharing faster than ever with the latest version. You can search for Creative Commons and Weedshare licensed files, and publish your own creative works with Creative Commons licensing. LimeWire continues its guarantee of no adware or spyware. Includes built-in bittorent support.
What's new in this version:
Version 5.2.13 updates interface for smoother navigation and includes integration with Facebook. Faster bittorent downloads.
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
Download
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.41
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a surprisingly effective freeware antimalware tool. It's a relatively speedy malware remover, with the quick scan taking about 8 minutes even with other high-resource programs running. The heuristics engine proved on multiple computers during empirical testing that it was capable of determining the difference between false positives and dangerous apps.
The app has some nice features rolled in, too. It supports multiple drive scanning including networked drives, context menu options including a scan-on-demand for individual files, and the FileAssassin option under the More Tools section for removing locked files. The interface is simple, but pleasant-looking and well-organized. Tabs live just below the oversized logo, with few options per tab to keep down the clutter. The installation process was fast enough, but interestingly offered up the well-kept changelog and an instant definition file update.
Do note that the real-time protection is restricted to the paid version, as is the scheduler for updates and scans. Overall, though, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a responsive malware remover that does what it should with a minimum of fuss.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. With one of the fastest, most effective quick scans and malware removal capabilities on the market, this program is the perfect addition to your PC's defenses. The full version of the product includes a number of key features, including the ability to schedule updates and scans and most importantly, a real-time malware protection module that blocks malicious processes before they even start.
What's new in this version:
(FIXED) Drastically improved product load speed on slower machines
(FIXED) Issue with IP Protection blocking certain IPs it should not
(FIXED) Improved memory usage in scanner and protection module
(FIXED) Improved malware removal capabilities
(FIXED) Scan detecting items that did not exist (junction issue)
(ADDED) Support for Hebrew language
Quick specs :
Price: Free; paid upgrade avaialable $24.95
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
The app has some nice features rolled in, too. It supports multiple drive scanning including networked drives, context menu options including a scan-on-demand for individual files, and the FileAssassin option under the More Tools section for removing locked files. The interface is simple, but pleasant-looking and well-organized. Tabs live just below the oversized logo, with few options per tab to keep down the clutter. The installation process was fast enough, but interestingly offered up the well-kept changelog and an instant definition file update.
Do note that the real-time protection is restricted to the paid version, as is the scheduler for updates and scans. Overall, though, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a responsive malware remover that does what it should with a minimum of fuss.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. With one of the fastest, most effective quick scans and malware removal capabilities on the market, this program is the perfect addition to your PC's defenses. The full version of the product includes a number of key features, including the ability to schedule updates and scans and most importantly, a real-time malware protection module that blocks malicious processes before they even start.
What's new in this version:
(FIXED) Drastically improved product load speed on slower machines
(FIXED) Issue with IP Protection blocking certain IPs it should not
(FIXED) Improved memory usage in scanner and protection module
(FIXED) Improved malware removal capabilities
(FIXED) Scan detecting items that did not exist (junction issue)
(ADDED) Support for Hebrew language
Quick specs :
Price: Free; paid upgrade avaialable $24.95
Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP, Windows 2000
Download
Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1351
This impressive software provides the same steadfast protection of well-known antivirus programs, yet it's surprisingly free.
Avast Home Edition guards your PC and the network with multiple shields that scan executables and files. You can select parameters for scanning, and even choose wildcards to exclude specific file types. You can adjust the sensitivity level for the program's detectors when it comes to scanning downloaded files, instant messages, e-mails, and a host of P2Ps. Its efficient interface opens up window after window to tweak its settings to your liking, for novice to advanced level protection.
Though it took quite some time to run, we're impressed with this application's boot-time antivirus scan. Fortunately, if you're in a pinch you can bypass it. If malicious contents are detected, Avast comes to the rescue with handy virus cleanup tools. Some decent PC controls are even handed out here. You can block certain URLs and file operations, such as writing to files or even renaming, deleting or formatting them.
With immediate real-time protection, clockwork updates, and much more, this free software is highly regarded in our book.
Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus is a complete ICSA & Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit package. Avast includes the following components: On demand scanner with skinnable simple interface, just select what do you want to scan in which way and press the Play button; On access scanner, special providers to protect the most of available e-mail clients; Instant messaging--ICQ, Miranda; Network traffic--intrusion detection, lightweight firewall; P2P protection for Kazaa, BitTorrent; Web shield--monitors and filters all HTTP traffic; NNTP scanner--scans all Usenet Newsgroup traffic and all operations with files on PC; Boot time scanner--scans disks in the same way and in the same time as Windows CHKDSK does.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.8.1351 features: Improvements in some unpackers, improved stability of Standard Shield. Name changed to avast! Home Edition - Free Antivirus
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 98
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Avast Home Edition guards your PC and the network with multiple shields that scan executables and files. You can select parameters for scanning, and even choose wildcards to exclude specific file types. You can adjust the sensitivity level for the program's detectors when it comes to scanning downloaded files, instant messages, e-mails, and a host of P2Ps. Its efficient interface opens up window after window to tweak its settings to your liking, for novice to advanced level protection.
Though it took quite some time to run, we're impressed with this application's boot-time antivirus scan. Fortunately, if you're in a pinch you can bypass it. If malicious contents are detected, Avast comes to the rescue with handy virus cleanup tools. Some decent PC controls are even handed out here. You can block certain URLs and file operations, such as writing to files or even renaming, deleting or formatting them.
With immediate real-time protection, clockwork updates, and much more, this free software is highly regarded in our book.
Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus is a complete ICSA & Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit package. Avast includes the following components: On demand scanner with skinnable simple interface, just select what do you want to scan in which way and press the Play button; On access scanner, special providers to protect the most of available e-mail clients; Instant messaging--ICQ, Miranda; Network traffic--intrusion detection, lightweight firewall; P2P protection for Kazaa, BitTorrent; Web shield--monitors and filters all HTTP traffic; NNTP scanner--scans all Usenet Newsgroup traffic and all operations with files on PC; Boot time scanner--scans disks in the same way and in the same time as Windows CHKDSK does.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.8.1351 features: Improvements in some unpackers, improved stability of Standard Shield. Name changed to avast! Home Edition - Free Antivirus
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 98
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Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 9.0.0.407
Consistently at or near the top of independent efficacy testers, Avira's AntiVir remains one of the best freeware security solutions around. Its scans are flexible, allowing the user to fully scan both internal and external hard drives, run a preloaded scan--for rootkits, for example--or customize a scan. The latest version introduces antispyware protections, scanning tech that can crack open "locked" files, improved internal security to prevent AntiVir's files from being maliciously altered, and one-click threat removal--no more baby-sitting.
There are few interface changes in version 9, and older users are not likely notice anything different in the interface besides a refreshed banner logo. The main window offers a left side navigation with drop-down menus and a central pane for more detailed information. AntiVir opens to the Status menu, informing you of your last scan, your last definition file update, whether the real-time guard is active, and premium upgrade link. Events logs changes to the program and the Reports tab keeps a history of threats. Both are exportable.
The Local Protection and Administration navigation options reveal the Scanner, Guard, Quarantine, and Scheduler features. Combined with the Configuration button located at the top of the central pane, users can customize their scans as necessary. Quarantined file information is on display, with options to scan it again, restore, delete, and e-mail the file to Avira. The rebuilt heuristic engine retains the same choices from the previous version's, and can be turned on or off in part or in full and offers three intensity levels. The scheduler offers much that other free antivirus programs don't, and the help features are excellent, with mouse-over information on each feature.
Savvy users will notice the removal of the on-demand e-mail scan, and AntiVir is still challenging to fully uninstall. Despite these hang-ups and the nag screen that follows definition file updates, AntiVir offers such effective protection and a well-rounded set of features that as long as the updates keep coming, it'll be our first line of defense.
Avira AntiVir Personal Free Antivirus is a comprehensive, easy to use antivirus program, designed to offer reliable free of charge virus protection to home-users only. Avira offers: Extensive Malware Recognition of viruses, Trojans, backdoor programs, worms; Automatic incremental updates of antivirus signatures, engine and entire software; Permanent virus protection, with Virus Guard real time monitoring; Install and configuration in just a couple of steps, setup to protect your PC in minutes; Virus protection against known and unknown threats, using an advanced heuristic system; Scheduler where you can set the scanner to make automatic virus scans or updates on your system; Forum and phone support; Knowledge Base with virus descriptions available on web site; Rootkit Detection and Removal; A modularized AV-search engine for improved scan performance.
What's new in this version:
Version 9 introduces a quick-removal button for eliminating viruses with a single click, enhanced anti-spyware and anti-adware engines, and support for low resolution netbook screens
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 2000, Windows XP
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There are few interface changes in version 9, and older users are not likely notice anything different in the interface besides a refreshed banner logo. The main window offers a left side navigation with drop-down menus and a central pane for more detailed information. AntiVir opens to the Status menu, informing you of your last scan, your last definition file update, whether the real-time guard is active, and premium upgrade link. Events logs changes to the program and the Reports tab keeps a history of threats. Both are exportable.
The Local Protection and Administration navigation options reveal the Scanner, Guard, Quarantine, and Scheduler features. Combined with the Configuration button located at the top of the central pane, users can customize their scans as necessary. Quarantined file information is on display, with options to scan it again, restore, delete, and e-mail the file to Avira. The rebuilt heuristic engine retains the same choices from the previous version's, and can be turned on or off in part or in full and offers three intensity levels. The scheduler offers much that other free antivirus programs don't, and the help features are excellent, with mouse-over information on each feature.
Savvy users will notice the removal of the on-demand e-mail scan, and AntiVir is still challenging to fully uninstall. Despite these hang-ups and the nag screen that follows definition file updates, AntiVir offers such effective protection and a well-rounded set of features that as long as the updates keep coming, it'll be our first line of defense.
Avira AntiVir Personal Free Antivirus is a comprehensive, easy to use antivirus program, designed to offer reliable free of charge virus protection to home-users only. Avira offers: Extensive Malware Recognition of viruses, Trojans, backdoor programs, worms; Automatic incremental updates of antivirus signatures, engine and entire software; Permanent virus protection, with Virus Guard real time monitoring; Install and configuration in just a couple of steps, setup to protect your PC in minutes; Virus protection against known and unknown threats, using an advanced heuristic system; Scheduler where you can set the scanner to make automatic virus scans or updates on your system; Forum and phone support; Knowledge Base with virus descriptions available on web site; Rootkit Detection and Removal; A modularized AV-search engine for improved scan performance.
What's new in this version:
Version 9 introduces a quick-removal button for eliminating viruses with a single click, enhanced anti-spyware and anti-adware engines, and support for low resolution netbook screens
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows Vista 32-bit, Windows 2000, Windows XP
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AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.5.406
This antivirus program offers rock-solid protection. AVG Free provides the bare necessities, including a real-time shield to prevent infections, anti-virus and anti-malware wrapped up in one engine, and a link scanner for Web surfing with care.
By default, the application is set to search for new virus definitions daily, but you always can use the scheduling tool to change this. Should a virus create serious system problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode. The program doesn't tax your system when scanning or when running in the background and always proved effective in our tests. The new interface is much easier to navigate than in previous version, with tabbed navigation on the left assisting users in drilling down to the tools they need.
Though the free version of this program will suffice for average folks, those who demand more control should certainly consider AVG Anti-Virus Professional.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows XP
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By default, the application is set to search for new virus definitions daily, but you always can use the scheduling tool to change this. Should a virus create serious system problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode. The program doesn't tax your system when scanning or when running in the background and always proved effective in our tests. The new interface is much easier to navigate than in previous version, with tabbed navigation on the left assisting users in drilling down to the tools they need.
Though the free version of this program will suffice for average folks, those who demand more control should certainly consider AVG Anti-Virus Professional.
Quick specs :
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows XP
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